serenity now

What a weekend.

My grandma's health got a lot worse this week. She was put in Hospice on Thursday and a care center by Saturday. From there it was all downhill, so to speak.

She died this morning, Sunday, July 31, sometime around 10 or 10:15 am.

My father and I will probably be leaving on Tuesday for Colorado. The funeral is most likely on Wednesday. Hopefully I will have access to my email, and I will definitely always have my cell phone with me. Please keep in touch while I'm gone.

countdown to a new job...

My interview is over, and (unfortunately) he didn't immediately offer me a job. However, I feel like there is a pretty good chance that a job will come. So, say a pray and I will continue to pray, and I have faith that he will soon call me with a new job offer. By the way, starting pay is 8.15 per hour. Not as high as I had hoped, but still pretty high!

I bought a new phone this morning, same model as my old phone, and it doesn't work very well. I can use it but it has this annoying buzz. So I figure, for now it's good enough that I can check my voicemail, and within 30 days I will exchange it for another phone. I'm not sure if I am going to get the same model or a different one. Feel free to offer any suggestions...

Hammy's still as cute as ever. I'll post some pictures soon.

say a prayer...

I forgot to mention this, but should anyone stumble across this on the internet, say a prayer for my grandma. She's not in good shape, and I really hate to know she is in so much pain.

Also pray for my job interview. Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.

oh brother!

Life's a pain sometimes, you know it? Seems like every time I pick myself up, I get thrown back down again.

This afternoon, I got a phone call from Osco Drug on 39th and Noland asking to set up an interview. Of course I said yes! But at the same time, it puts me in this awful position, because just when I've decided that I don't want to leave Fazoli's if I don't have to, here comes another job dangling a much higher paycheck in front of my face. So I definitely don't know what I'm going to do exactly. Now what I am leaning towards is, if I am offered a position as a pharm tech and they are willing to work with my schedule in the fall, I will take a leave of absence from Fazoli's and return in December, working two jobs (one at Fazoli's and one at Osco).

This evening, I was getting ready to take a shower and I went to throw my clothes down the laundry chute. I had forgotten to take my cell phone out of my pocket and (don't laugh too hard) it fell into the toilet! So I called our provider and they said, yea, it's probably ruined and all warranties are voided. That means that tomorrow I will have to go buy a new phone. Not horrible, necessarily, except I really wish this had happened two weeks from now (closer to my next paycheck) and not NOW!

See, I just got paid yesterday, and with all that money, I can basically pay off all my car repairs. Awesome, except then that leaves me with $20 in my checking account. So I will probably buy a nicer phone tomorrow (somewhere in the $80-$100 range) and finish off the car on my next paycheck. *Sigh* Am I ever actually going to EARN money, or will all the money I earn go out as fast as it comes in?

confusion and choices

So much going on lately...

I've been busting my hump to earn enough money to pay off the repairs on my car. I would also really like to have enough left over to expand my hamster's cage. I got paid yesterday, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to buy more cage for my ham, but I think I'm through with the car.

I'm also beginning to consider the fall semester and what I'd like to do, job-wise, during that time. Fazoli's is a giant question-mark right now. Of course, I get paid a fast-food salary - 6.65 an hour. I would really like to become a pharmacy technician, but I can't find anyone who is willing to hire me without any experience. Starting pay for pharm techs is usually 8.00-8.50 per hour. I actually got offered a pharm tech job, but I turned it down, because it was at the Osco Drug on the corner of Bannister and Blue Ridge. Not only is that a long way from where I live, but it's kind of in the ghetto. They promised me that they have increased security since the last time they got robbed... but that's still a bit unsettling for me.

Anyway, with no other job offers that leaves me with the option of either staying at Fazoli's, quitting and having no job, or taking a leave of absence during school and returning to Fazoli's in December.

I was already thinking about leaving Fazoli's. Staying at Fazoli's would mean that I would have to work with a really immature high school girl who hates me and a convicted felon who is on probation and who I find incredibly annoying. Also, I already have to fight for my hours - especially since the felon has come back from her personal leave. That's only going to get worse after school starts and my hours become more limited. Not to mention, I think the manager I ratted out about her after-hours partying (I'll call her C) at Fazoli's has figured out that I am the one who ratted her out.

Yesterday the general manager asked me to come in to work early so that he could speak with me. Ok, no big deal. Turns out that another of the managers - and he strongly hinted which manager - is intimidated by me. I have such good "Fazoli's Friendly Service", and I have such a natural tendency to be a leader - that is, I naturally delegate responsibility. And I don't even understand where her problem is with that. You see, when business is slow (or not) and I have a task to do along with another associate, I naturally divide the responsibility to make it faster. "Why don't you put tomatoes on the salads and then I will put the lids on the salads?" That kind of thing. My GM says he LOVES this kind of thing, loves it because he recognizes that this helps the restaurant succeed. But this other, younger, more inexperienced manager (I'll call her E) apparently becomes intimidated when I do that.

Then the manager first broached the subject of moving up in the Fazoli's hierarchy. He gave me a highly "vague" answer - if I want to become a manager, just keep doing what I'm doing. But it was on my mind all evening, so I asked the manager that evening about it. My next step up would be to become a trainer. In order to do that, I would have to learn how to do other stuff in the restaurant - like making the pastas and sauces, and doing the steamtable and baketable. Also I'd have to take a short test and answer some questions and stuff. That would give me a 25 cent raise. From there I could become an associate manager, which would lead me to a 50 cent raise. The next step up from that is a restaurant manager, which is a salaried position in which you work 45 hours per week.

So if I stay, I could move up in the pay and power scale, which doesn't necessarily sound half bad. I really love my GM. At the same time, I would also have to put up with immature employees, a convicted felon, and a manager or two who don't like me and who would probably dislike me even more if I moved up in the Fazoli's hierarchy.

Or I could leave, or take a leave of absence, and probably would have less stress while I'm student teaching.

The honest truth, though, is that even if I am able to move all the way up to associate manager (which is probably as high as I would want to go), that only pulls my salary up to 7.40 per hour. Not that great. Sooooooo.... I am really praying that some kind of amazing job offer will come along that pays a lot and has a flexible schedule. But... my GM really really loves me. He'll do a lot to keep me on his schedule. And no matter where I work, there are going to be people I don't like or people who are difficult to work with.

So maybe I should stay at Fazoli's. What I am leaning towards right now is, unless I get a phone call with a job offer from someone else, I think I will stay at Fazoli's at least for a couple of weeks into my student teaching, until I know more about what to expect.

suddenly it all makes sense!

What a day it's been! The morning started out awesome. I had to get up early and work from 8-10 (not fun) but then I got to go to church, which was AMAZING! And I gave my tithe, which felt really good.

But then in the evening (around 4ish), that manager who I ratted out came to work, which surprised me. I think she suspects me, because she yelled at me a lot this evening. The kitchen boy who doesn't like to wear gloves refused to wear them again this evening. He yelled at me too, because I told him he should put gloves on. And the cook yelled at me too. It became an exhausting evening, and I just couldn't wait to get out of there.

I wondered where the blessing was in this. I had given to the Lord; I was praying; yet it felt like everything was against me. Then these two ladies came in. They both worked at Osco, and they told me that they have openings at one of their stores, and I would be a good fit. The openings are for pharmacy technicians - starting pay $8/hr. I am really starting to pray that this works out. I think this might be a logical next step for me.

blessings all around!

Where to begin? I did get to take a day off last Tuesday, and I got to see a movie with my mom. Cinderella Man. Great movie!

Since then, I've worked each day, but it's been good! On Wednesday I got my schedule for this week - and it's fantastic! Absolutely awesome hours, and lots of them.

I also got my paycheck. Likewise, that was fantastic! It was the best paycheck I've ever received - possibly the best I ever will receive! It feels so good to receive good rewards.

On Wednesday night, I told one of the managers (one whom I trust) about a quandry I had at work: I had seen one of the other managers, and also a few associates, drinking and smoking at the restaurant after-hours. It concerned me because they all left the restaurant drunk - in other words, drinking and driving. I learned, however, that the corporation has a no drugs/no alcohol policy inside its stores. It was a relief to get that off my chest. Also, she promised that my name would not be associated with the incident - in other words, the offending manager would never find out who "tattled".

Today, the general manager asked to speak with me, and I told him what I saw. He proved what an awesome manager he is - he became unbelievably upset about it. Later in the afternoon, he called that manager in and conferenced with her for over a half hour. When she left, her eyes were very red - it was obvious she had been crying for quite some time. She was suspended for one week and given 30 days to "change her behavior". As bad as I feel about all this happening, she is reaping what she sowed.

Finally, speaking of a great schedule - I get to go to church on Sunday! You have no idea how happy this makes me! I actually have to work from 8-10 am, but then I'm off until 1:00, which gives me plenty of time to go to church! I am so, so happy about this! For one thing, I can give my tithe, to exactly the organization I want it to go to. For another thing, I can see a lot of my old friends again!

Oh, and I can't forget - I'm off on Saturday and Wednesday. That means that I'll get to call a few friends tomorrow (yay!). I think I'll call Princessa and see if I can go swimming with her. I wonder if I have a swimsuit that fits! Oh well... if I don't I'll just run to Walmart in the morning and buy one!

zzzzzzzzz.........

Do you realize it's been over two weeks since I took a day off? TWO WEEKS!!! I think I'm crazy! I'm seriously starting to feel the effects of working so hard. :) I need a day off!

I work Monday, but Tuesday I am going to be off of work (probably). If they ask me to work in the evening, I will, but no matter what I am going to spend some time with BunnyServant during the day. She and I are going to figure out a small order from American Pet Diner for her bunnies and my hamster.

I really cannot complain too much, though. Sometimes it's rough, but I have good managers and good coworkers (mostly). There are a couple of associates that really test my patience, but the worst of those types of people usually goes in and out of the system pretty quickly - that is, they get fired. The lazy ones, too. That's one of the reasons I love my general manager.

I have an incredibly high standard of cleanliness now, however. I went to McDonald's a couple of days ago, and was so grossed out by what I saw that I called the health department on them.

I waxed my legs a few days ago - Thursday, I think. First time I've waxed them, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I used Nair No-heat Roll-on Wax, and it didn't hurt too badly. I still have some hair on my legs, though, and I'm thinking about waxing them a second time to get them entirely smooth.

I'm kind of starting to become eager to teach in the fall. Maybe I'm just ready for a change! In the meantime, I don't mind working at Fazoli's, but I can't wait to finish school.

I worked 8-3 today, and I was so tired that I came home and slept from 4-7. I probably would have slept longer, but my mom woke me up and Cold Case was on, so I have been up since then. Tomorrow 12-8, and I almost hope that I am called to come in on Tuesday evening. I know it's crazy, but I am really just trying to "make hay while the sun shines". That is, I have time right now, and what better time to earn as much money as I can while I have the chance? Some of the people at work tease me about how much I work, but I want to do this while I have the chance. I won't have as much time to work in the fall!

God Bless America

New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts
John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

The first list is a list of the names of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. The second is lyrics from Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." I was thinking tonight about the men who signed that Declaration. I don't think we can comprehend the sacrifice they made for us. I don't think we can comprehend the world they lived in. Democracy as we now know it had never before been a successful form of government. These men literally put their lives on the line for a risk, something that may not work. They became fugitives of the government, all to stand up against unnessary taxation.

Since that day, millions more have fought and died for my freedom, your freedom - OUR freedom. Freedom isn't free. The Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, War in Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom - just to name a few of the major conflicts. I can't even name all the military occupations we've had over the 229 years of our country's existance.

Today our wonderful armed services are defending our freedom in Iraq. If any of them come across this, I want them to know that I love what they are doing for me and for every American, past present or future. Freedom is one of the most amazing gifts I've ever been given. I hope all my children, and all my children's children, and all my children's children, will know that this is a gift to them, but this gift is built on the blood, sweat, and tears of all the people who died for their freedom.

On another note: I brought a giant paper towel roll and a giant toilet paper roll home from the restaurant for Miami, and she LOVES them.

Also, Princessa, I miss you too. I've been working like crazy to earn all kinds of money to pay for my car. But call me sometime - surely we can find some time to get together, maybe go for a swim.

it's been a week and i forgot to blog!

OK, wow, so much seems to have happened this week. Where to begin, where to begin...

Work is great still. Another girl started who drives me bananas but I am just putting up with her as best as I know how.

I had a little "incident" with my car this week. I sort of drove off the road. And, um, down an embankment. Miraculously I didn't hit any other cars, and I didn't get a ticket! However my car drove out of the incident somewhat worse for the wear. I had to take it to the repair shop, where I had $650 worth of work done. It needed a new oil pan and, while I was at it, a new oil change, and the front and rear tires needed aligned. Also the mechanics said the transmission fluid needed replaced (but that was unrelated to the incident).

I worked my rear off last weekend and maxed out on my hours for the week, so I expected to have Tuesday and Wednesday off entirely (no risk of going in because they'd have to pay overtime). And then, there was an incident at that restaurant (ask me more and I will go into it on a future blog) and they called me in AND agreed to pay me overtime on Wednesday! I worked for 7 hours at time and a half!

Finally tonight's adventures... After I ate dinner and such, I put Miami (the hamster) in her exercise ball so she could run around a bit. Less than an hour later, I realized I hadn't heard her for awhile, so I got up to look for her. I turned the light on in a bathroom, and behind the toilet I discovered the exercise ball, with the top missing. I called my mom and dad, and we turned off all the tv's and listened for some noise of the hamster in the house. We got flashlights, crawled around on our hands and knees, and looked everywhere.

We were just about ready to give up and set a hamster trap for the night when I decided to look in my sister's room one more time. I looked over my sister's bed, and there was Miami, underneath the window and next to the vent, cleaning herself. I motioned silently to my dad, who came inside the bedroom and closed the door. I bent down to pick her up, but she was off like a shot, running in the other direction.

This continued for a few minutes. She was hard to catch! Finally she crawled behind a giant Tupperware container. With my father's help, I was able to corner her and pick her up at last. She was a little squirmy, probably because she was scared! She had a real adventure tonight!